The Lenawee County Health Department is telling parents of Onsted Community Schools students who have not been immunized against chickenpox that their children will be "excluded" from school for up to three weeks after several students with the illness were reported this week in the district.

According to a letter from the health department dated Nov. 29 and addressed to those in the Onsted school district with an unvaccinated child, those who have not had the illness or have not been immunized will be prevented from attending school for 21 days after the last reported case.

"If your child has not been immunized and you can't provide a verification of a previous diagnosis of chickenpox, your child will be excluded from school until he/she receives their first dose of Varicella vaccine (VAR)," the letter states.

The health department can make such a mandate through the Michigan Public Health Code's Act 368 of 1978. Students who receive the first of two vaccines and schedule the second dose could then return to school.

Onsted Superintendent Mark Haag said school nurse Laura Dowling informed him earlier this week about the chickenpox cases at the school — numbering less than 10 — and contacted the health department as a matter of procedure.

Haag said he was contacted Wednesday by the health department, and the district has to comply with the mandate. A letter explaining the situation was to be sent home to parents Thursday or today.

"There were enough cases that involved Onsted Community Schools students that they would invoke an exclusion, saying that if your child hasn't had the proper vaccinations for chickenpox or can't provide documentation they've already had it, they would be excluded, meaning they can't come to school," Haag said.

When students are enrolled, parents have to provide to the school their child's vaccination background or sign a waiver stating they refuse to have the shots, Haag said.

"People usually sign a waiver because people have personal or religious convictions against (vaccinations)," he said.

Haag said the immunization compliance per building is 97 to 100 percent and that the students reporting chickenpox are at the elementary and middle school buildings at this time.

However, all students in the district are potentially affected by the mandate, Haag said. Because all students ride the bus together and the buildings are in close proximity to one another, the exclusion plan has been "instituted on a K-12 level," he said.

Haag said he understands the health department's stance on the matter.

"The goal is to prevent a larger outbreak, and we will do what we can to inform the community," he said.

Haag said there are three options parents can consider at this point:

— Have their children vaccinated.

— Provide documentation that their children have had chickenpox.

Page 2 of 2 - — Keep their children home according to the health department's mandate.

The number of students who have signed a waiver or who have not had chickenpox has yet to be determined, Haag said.

"We will find out Monday the impact this may have," Haag said.

A message left for Elaine McDonald, director of nursing at the Lenawee County Health Department, was not immediately returned. County health officer Patsy Bourgeois was out of the office Thursday.